Flooding in Singapore

Recently, there have been quite a few floods in Singapore. At first, the environmental minister labelled the flood in mid-june as a once in 50 years freak incident. However, we have now seen 3 floods in the matter of slightly more than a month.

Due to the floods, many people have been inconveinienced. Some shopkeepers have lost goods running into thousands of dollars while others have had their homes literally destroyed due to the floods. As a result, many people have been blaming the goverment for not providing the infrastructure to prevent such floods.

However, in my opinion, it is not entirely the governemnt's fault for the damage of goods. The government cannot control when the floods will arrive. It would be wrong to say that they are not doing anything because it already has done a great job since the 1970s when lowlands such as Bukit Timah and Potong Pasir were consistently flooded when there was rain. Also, the Prime Minister has already said that it would be impossible to flood proof Singapore, so what can Singaporeans do to prevent such incidents from happening again?

I feel the solution is to buy insurance. Many a times, we always refuse to buy insurance as the mindset is always such things will not happen to me so why waste money. According to a newspaper article, only 3 in 10 homeowners buy insurance for their homes. Therefore, to not let events that are beyond our control to affect our lives, we should buy insurance. You might think that this is being kia-su, but better safe than sorry.

Should a person's weight count on promotion?

This issue was brought up when the Chief Executive of Alexandra Health, which runs the Alexandra Hospital, mentioned that if a the weight of his staff would be a factor to be considered for promotion.

After reading the article, I have mixed side. On one hand, I am pleased to see that companies are taking notice of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, I feel that it is rather unfair to judge a person based on their outward appearance instead of their effectiveness as an employee.

It is undisputed that companies should indeed take care of their employee’s total well-being and not just be concerned about their productivity level. Many a times, especially in Singapore, people work long hours everyday just to make themselves an “indispensible” part of their companies and therefore earn enough to bring home and look after their family. This, of course, has side effects. With such high stress levels, many people resort to overeating amongst other things. Alexandra Hospital has done the right thing in taking notice of its employee’s physical well-being.

However, choosing employees for promotion is another matter altogether. Of course, in jobs where physical appearance is everything (like salesperson, flight attendant), it is agreeable that the person must have a minimum standard of looks or health. However, in the case of a nurse, is a hot figure everything that matters. That is not what I think in my opinion. The hospital can just transfer the nurse to a place where physical appearance does not matter, like the wards of patients with diseases and injuries non-related to obesity.

Regarding this issue, I feel that a compromise can be reached. Employers should not take into account the physical appearance in jobs where it is not so important. However, there can also allow employees whom are not so physically fit to take some time out to improve their fitness. This I feel is a “win-win” situation.

E-Learning Task 2

Poem: Children in the Darkness by Henry M Bechtold

(1) Point-of-View
I think the author is using his own point of view. As you can see in my previous post, Henchtold got his inspiration from a boy with a helmet and a rifle and therefore gof his inspiration by recalling what happened to him previously and he probably felt sorry for the children he saw in those days who failed to recieve an education because of the war. Also, he might be trying to say something from the point of view of the children who are asking their parents to stop the war.

(2)Situation/Setting

This poem was set during the Vietnam War when children were not able to be given an education and when many of them had not choice but to go into war which was probably the road to death for most of them.

(3)Language/ Diction

Bechtold does use certain literary devices throughout the poem. For example, he uses alliteration by rhyming all the words of the second and last line of each stanza. He also uses quite simple language, probably to show that he is speaking from a child's point of view, and that his demands are simple. He also repeats the same themes throughout the poem to show emphasis.

(4)Personal Response

The poem evokes pity for the children that lived during the Vietnam War. The poet succesfully manages to evvoke feelings of compassion and pity to those who have read the poem. It also makes me feel thankful for the fact that I live in Singapore where everyone gets an education.

E-Learning Task 1

Henry M Bchtold was sent to Vietnam from 1967-1968. During that time, the Vietnam War was raging and he witnessed what happened. He fell in love with the place, even saying that Vietnam was his mistress. He always went back to Vietnam now and then. He wrote this poem during one of his visits in 2009. He was in his hotel room in Saigon watching the news channel. A picture of a boy with a helmet flashed on the news channel. This reminded him of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, giving him inspiration to write this poem. Since then, he has been visiting Vietnam quite often to revisit old memories and has been posting pictures on his blog.

The conflict in this poem is about how because of war, many children in Vietnam lose their opportunity for education and in the end join the arm forces, only to eventually lose their lives.

References:
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#children
http://www.henrybechtold.com/index.html

Diplomatic Immunity (Part 2)

Still on the subject of the 2 diplomats who broke the law, I will now be talking about how the diplomats have gotten away with it -- through diplomatic immunity.

In 1969, 109 countries including Singapore signed the Vienna Convention. The Vienna Convention was created to protect diplomats from the laws of other states. You may ask why is this needed? The most probable reason is that the countries do not want their diplomats to have any unnecessary trouble in other countries where laws may differ. Perhaps like if a female diplomat from Europe was drinking wine in Malaysia, which is strictly prohibited for Muslim females, she would not have to face the laws of Malaysia. A breach in conduct, though protected by diplomatic immunity, would still be considered a disgrace.

Diplomatic Immunity would be the reason why the Romanian and Saudi Arabian diplomat are not and most likely will not be charged by law. The victims of these crimes will not be able to receive compensation of any sort. I am sure that many people are feeling that this is not fair at all. The only way the diplomats would be subject to charges would be if their respective countries remove the diplomatic immunity. However, that would be highly unlikely as it would be a disgrace to the entire country.

To ask for a revision of the terms of the Vienna Convention would defitnitely be too much. I believe that the only solution is for countries and their diplomats to act out of their own conscience. Hopefully, in the future, countries will have more stringent process in selecting their diplomats.

Diplomatic Immunity (Part 1)

In the light of two recent incidents regarding foreign diplomats in Singapore namely the one involving Dr Iconseu , the Romainian envoy, whom I would assume we all think is guilty and the Saudi Arabian diplomat who was involved in an alledged insult, questions arise as to how foreign diplomats are selected.

For more information on the second case, you can visit this website: http://www.singaporelawwatch.sg/remweb/legal/ln2/rss/legalnews/66298.html?utm_source=rss%20subscription&utm_medium=rss

Forigen diplomats fucntion as representatives to their countries. They would be expected to uphold excellent moral standards, such as honesty, righteousness, responsibilty and examplary behaviour in all aspects. However, from the above two cases, we can see that not all diplomats uphold such high standards. Therefore, I would like to ask what is the process of selection?

Members of the United States Foreign Service have to go through a stringent selection test to be selected for these posts. Firstly, the candidates must go through a written test testing them of their knowledge of world affairs. Nextly, there would be an oral interview. Even if they pass through these hurdles, they would still need to undertake a top secret Security clearance and and medical test. It would be difficult to receive a top escret clearance if they travel extensively, non-United States family members, foreign spouses, drug abuse and many other things.

What about Romania and Saudi Arabia? What kind of processes are involved? Is it stringent enough or are these diplomats just corrupt.

My personal opinioin is that when countries select their diplomats, they have to be careful whom they select. The person they choose will represent the country and the country's reputation is in his or her hand.

Ethnic Integration Policy

Today, I read in the TODAY paper that many residents are complaining about the Ethnic Integration Policy. Therefore, I will be sharing my views on this policy and how it can be improved.

Basically, the ethnic integration policy, created in 1989, was driven by the desire to facilitate interaction between the different races in Singapore by preventing the formation of racial enclaves. Personally, I feel that the intentions of this scheme were correct. However, it has not turned out the way the government wanted.

Following the implementation of this scheme, the distributions of a new flat would be divided according to race. Therefore, 75% of families living in the flat would be Chinese, about 10% each for Malays and Indians and 5% others, encompassing all other races. My parents when they bought the flat which we are still living in up to now were classified as Indian because of course my father is Indian. No problem – my parents were able to get a flat in their preferred housing estate—Pasir Ris so were people of other races. The problem comes much later for some families.

The bugbear for many Singaporeans regardless of race stems from the problem of selling flats owing to the racial quota. When a Malay family wants to sell a flat, he must sell it to another Malay family so as to keep within the minimum quota of number of different races in the flat. The problem may be that there are no interested buyers who are Malay and Chinese or Indian buyers will not be able to purchase the flat. The Malay family will then have to sell the flat below market price. The system therefore makes families of minority races poorer in a sense.

I will also like to ask what the purpose of the Ethnic Integration policy is. What is wrong for people of similar race and culture to form racial enclaves? I feel that it is natural for people that they would want to be near people whom culture they are familiar with, especially for new PRs and residents who know little about Singapore, so that they would feel more comfortable. Let me give you an example, many Myanmese foreign workers who work at shipyards on Jurong Island want to buy a flat in Jurong West as it is near where they work and there are quite of number Myanmese already there. Is it not the same thing when people of the same religion congregate at places of worship? I think the government’s main worry is that Singapore’s racial harmony will be at stake should they remove this policy. However, for one to survive in Singapore, it is almost certainly necessary to be able to interact with people of other races at many jobs and for students at schools in order to be a successful in your field.

However, the policy has to some extent has boosted Singapore’s racial harmony. Preventing racial enclaves is good in such a way that no one will ever feel surrounded or threatened by the vast number of people of one race.

Nevertheless, I feel that this policy should be abolished. It does little to boost interaction among neighbours of different races. From what I know, most families do not have much interaction with their neighbours. Everyone just lives in his own unit minding his own business. There is no longer that kampong spirit which there was in the old days.

A suggestion by the author in the article was to introduce a scheme such as the Ethnic Integration Grant. Basically, if a family buys a unit so that the minimum quota for a particular race is met in each neighbourhood instead of flat, this family will be rewarded with a housing grant. This system deters racial enclaves from forming and will continue to so called ensure a racial balance. This system will also minimize occasions where families of minority races have difficulty selling off their flat (due to the fact that it is ever neighbourhood and not each flat).

However, I feel that racial enclaves should be allowed to form in certain areas like the one about the Myanmese workers in Jurong West. They are not locals and it would probably be more convenient for them and their families if they were to stay together in one neighbourhood.

To conclude, the Ethnic Integration Policy has had its benefits but it needs to be slightly more flexible.

Youth Olympics

This may not be such recent news, however I still feel that this is a topic worth posting.
The Youth Olympics will be coming in about 4 months. However, I think many people in Singapore still feel no excitement about it.

Recap, what happened 2 years ago...... Singapore won the rights to host the first ever Youth Olympics after much competition with other countries such as Russia, Italy and Thailand. Singapore came up tops mostly because of its characteristics. Firstly, it is a young nation which represents the young athletes who will be coming to Singapore to compete. Secondly, it is a multi-racial society and one of the main aims of the Youth Olympics was to allow young athletes of different backgrounds and culture be able to learn about each other's difference's. What better place than Singapore.

For this, I feel very proud of Singapore. Singapore with not much sporting culture being able to win the rights to host such a major competition such as the Youth Olympics is really such an achievement.

However, I feel at this moment in time, just 4 months before the actual event, Singapore is losing its momentum. Many Singaporeans no longer feel excited about the Youth Olympics, possibly because of the lack of publicity of the event in recent times. Singaporeans cite excuses such as the Youth Olympics being such a small event. However, the Youth Olympics features many athletes who will in the future go on to represent their country at the real Olympics. It has also been said that the Youth Olympics is just an event where many youths come together have a fun event and then go back. That may be true but the main aim of the youth Olympics is actually to educate the athletes about the olympic spirit and teach them the values a true olympian should have.

I personally feel that the Youth Olympics is something worth getting excited about. When is the next time Singapore will be able to host such an event again? Probably not in our lifetime.... We really should value this opportunity.

The Casino has Opened !!!!!

The Casino at Sentosa has just recently opened its doors. Today, I will talk about my opinions on the casino.

Firstly, why did the Singapore government decide to open a (in fact 2) casinos in Singapore? The real reason would be to boost the economy. To many of you, including myself, the first question would be why do something to boost the economy that could be potenially dangerous for Singaporeans. The first reaction would be that gambling would cause people to lose their cash because of gambling addiction. However, the Singapore government has already thought about all these possible consequences.

The Singapore government has decided to charge a $100 levy for locals entering the casino. Many people might argue that this is unfair. Why are citizens and PRs given a disadvantage over tourists? The answer would be because the casino was meant to cater to tourists and high-flyers across the globe, literally to "rob" them of their money. The $100 levy is to discourage Singaporeans from coming to the casino too often and to prevent casino addiction by Singaporeans.

The second thing the Singapore government did was to intorduce the Self-Exclusion and Family Exclusion Schemes. Individuals could opt into these schemes so that they would be banned from the casinos and will not fall into temptation. Family members could apply for another family member to be banned so that there will not be any cases of a husband or wife spluging away all their hard-earned money at the casino, leaving the rest of the family.

Therefore, I can see that the Singapore government has put into place a lot of schemes so that the Singaporean citizen is protected. However, above all, it is still one's own responsibility to ensure that he exercises self-control so that he/ she will never fall into gambling addiction.

To Kill A Mocking Bird

Linguistic Task

Interview with Atticus

Reporter: Good Evening, Mr Atticus Sir. I am Mr Smith from HS Reporting Company and I am here to interview you, sir.

Atticus: Please come in. Would you like a cup of coffee or would you like to have something to eat?

Reporter: No, thanks.

(Atticus showed me to a comfortable armchair.)

Reporter: Alright, let’s start our interview. So, you have one son and a daughter right?

Atticus: Yes, Jem…Scout… Please come here and greet this pleasant gentleman.

(Jem and Scout greeted the reporter.)

Reporter: It looks like you have brought up your children well.

Atticus: I wouldn’t say I did such a good job. I just try to bring them up so that they will know right from wrong. My black cook Calpurnia has done most of the work in bringing them up.

Reporter (pretends to be shocked): You let a black cook raise your children?

Atticus: I don’t believe in discriminating people because of colour or race.

Reporter: I see that that you are a righteous man. I suppose it was the same case when you fought for Tom Robinson.

Atticus: Yes, that poor man got murdered for someone else’s crime.

Reporter: The case was bound to bring difficulties for your children, why did you still pursue it?

Atticus: I could not let that man die without a fight for him. I was fighting for the greater good. My children were only trying to face of teasing and discrimination while Tom was trying to fight off death.

Reporter: I see your point. This has been a very pleasant interview Mr Atticus Sir. Thank you very much.

Atticus: My pleasure.

____________________________________________________


Intrapersonal Task:

If I was in the novel, the person I would be friends with would be Atticus. Atticus is very intelligent and therefore he would be a good person to go to for advice. He is also reliable and honest. All these qualities is why Atticus makes a good friend.

My Learning Profile

Following the MIDAS Profile, my highest abilities would be in the following order -- math-logic, intrapersonal and linguistic. I am not very sure how this profile test was invented because all it tells me is that I have no abilities --in every category for me it was either low or every low. In my opinion, the purpose of the test was to find out about your abilities not demoralise a perosn cause he does not have much. For the order of my abilities, I would say it is mostly correct because I do like mathematics (even though I don't usually do well in it), I would think that intrapersonal and linguistics are not my favourites but they would defitnitely come before other abilities such as musical and spatial.

What is your race?

Recently(or not so recently), the Singapore Government has decided to let its citizens to choose the race they want to put on their NRIC for those born of mix marriages instead of the old rule where you follow your father's race.

Firstly, what is the government's motive for doing this? There have been complaints that a person’s race is causing restraints on certain people. For example, an Indian Muslim girl whose father is an Indian and mother is Malay and chooses too adopted Islam as her religion cannot apply for financial assistance because he or she is an Indian and should go to the Indian association for funding. With the new ruling, she would be able to choose her race as Malay and hence be able to apply for funding.

This topic is very relevant to me because I too have been born from a mix marriage. My father is an Indian while my mother is a Chinese but are both Christians. My father said that when me and my siblings create our NRIC, we should choose Chinese as our race as chinese due to HDB’s ethnic integration policy because Indian is a minority race and it would be easier to get a flat in the future as Chinese. Also, we take Chinese as our second language, it would make sense to be a Chinese. Although the government keeps on emphasizing that every race is equal. HDB’s ethnic integration policy provides a loophole.

I do understand that there are advantages to be a Chinese instead of Indian. However, in my opinion, I would feel guilty to discard my Indian heritage altogether. It would be like not respecting my ancestors which my school is always emphasizing (饮水思源). Therefore, I am in a dilemma which race I should choose next year when I create my NRIC.

Fortunately, the Singapore government decided to allow people to carry both races in their NRIC. Therefore, I would be able to choose Indian-Chinese. That I feel would be the best decision for me. It (I feel) would be able to describe me perfectly without feeling bad to any race.

On the whole, I am glad the government listened to his citizens and came to this decision.

New Year= New Blog

This would be the first time I blogged in ages. This blog would be still for academic purposes except that this year there would be one major change in my blog. There has to be a FOCUS.

Well, to me that's very difficult because if you read the posts I posted last year(http://www.kickingking.blogspot.com), it was quite random. Sometimes I posted about my life, sometimes about school, sometimes about current affairs. However, this year, I can only choose one specific thing to post about because to have a good blog, you must be focused on something. That is a quality of all famous blogs( which I just realised this year).

Therefore, this year the only thing I will be posting about would be current affairs. Well, the main reason would be there would always be stuff to post about. It would not be good to post about my hobbies because I don't think I can do more than two posts on them.

Yeah, so look out for more posts on Current Affairs!

(P.S. Another change this year would be that I need at least 25 followers for this blog. So please do not hesitate to become one. Thanks!)